Volume 22 No. 1

Introduction The practice of medicine in the ADF is becoming increasingly complicated by administrative requirements, Health Directives and Instructions, with better informed patients and by an increasing doctor liability for medical outcomes. Patients and lawyers perceive modern medicine to be an exact science and, consequently, expect positive outcomes and have reduced tolerance for adverse… Read more »

Many ancient armies tried to reduce morbidity and mortality on the battlefield through the provision of first aid, the objective of this aid being to prevent further injury and relieve pain until medical help arrived, with the foundation of organised and trained first aid having its origins in this military environment (1). The most successful were the Romans, under Emperor Augustus (63BC-18AD), who developed advanced military medical services to support their legions (2). Included in these services were bandagers called Capsarii. These men, who wore the same combat gear as their fellow soldiers, were essentially combat medics, effective in providing prompt first aid due to their positing in battle. Thus the origin of military combat medics, known also as medical technicians or medical assistants, begins (3).
These soldiers, also known as milites medici, had additional training in the art of medicine and were exempt from other duties as their priority was the care of the wounded and sick both on the march and in temporary hospitals (2). The tradition stands true today with the military combat medic who goes into battle alongside soldiers of their company aiming to stabilise, give comfort and help evacuate (4). The availability of persons skilled in the treatment of wounds improves the morale of fighting men, giving rise to a more efficient and motivated fighting force (2), thus the tradition of the military medics begins and continues today.

Abstract During the 1995-2000 quinquennium, the Army Malaria Research Unit (AMRU) was re-named the Australian Army Malaria Institute (AMI) and re-located from Sydney to a modern purpose-built facility in Brisbane. Its international recognition as a centre of excellence for malaria research was further enhanced by the establishment of a molecular parasitology laboratory to investigate drug… Read more »

Introduction The number and size of UN and Allied peacekeeping deployments[1] have increased dramatically since the end of the Cold War [1], as have the budgets that support them. The UN budgeted 7.23 billion USD for the 2012-2013 fiscal year for UN Peacekeeping operations.[2] An explanation for this increase is likely to be found in… Read more »

Peer outdoor support therapy (POST) is one approach utilised in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom to address mental illness and distress amongst contemporary veterans. In the current paper several areas of veteran psychological therapeutic treatment are reviewed.

Current standard practice and research studies for therapist-led treatments from Australia are summarised and critiqued and placed within the literature context examining military and veteran unique needs and challenges to treatment including responsiveness, reluctance and retention.

Research review results regarding peer support interventions and outdoor therapy interventions for non-veteran and contemporary veteran populations are outlined, alongside an overview of known POST programs for veterans.

The implications of the reviewed literature and research are discussed, particularly the need for further research into the role outdoor peer support may play for the Australian veteran population alongside other veteran mental health services.

Greetings and welcome to the first Journal of Military and Veterans’ Health for 2014. As the Journal goes to press, AMMA council is preparing to meet in Sydney to finalise some of the arrangements for our Annual Conference (17-19 October). 2014 marks a 100 years since the beginning of World War I, and it is… Read more »

Just over a hundred years ago, on 28th February 1914, the E class submarines HMAS AE1, captained by LCDR T. F. Besant, RN, and HMAS AE2, captained by LCDR H. H. G. D. Stoker, RN, were commissioned in Portsmouth, England. Both submarines had been laid down in Vickers Yard, Barrow-in-Furness, England, with AE1 being launched… Read more »